Top 10

Hottest New Handguns

By Michael O. Humphries
American Handgunner Executive Editor

R. Jones/The Imagesmith LLC

While you may be the best salesperson in the world, it’ll always be an uphill climb without great products to push. So if you’re looking to ramp up your handgun sales leading up to the close of this year, consider some of these great new guns that have recently hit the market. You won’t regret it!

Century Arms C39v2 Blade

Yes, this is a handgun you’re seeing here. And what better way to draw customers to the counter than an eye-catcher like this one? While the “C39v2” part of the designation is a mouthful, the “Blade” part is a great hook. Based off of the company’s line of U.S.-made milled receiver AK rifles, this pistol is a 7.62x39mm powerhouse featuring a short 10.6-inch barrel and a Shockwave Blade stabilizing brace. Priced at an MSRP of $949.99 it’s not cheap, but play up the power and coolness factor with this one for sure sales. www.centuryarms.com

FN 509 Tactical

This new pistol takes what is good about the base 9mm 509 and makes it even better. Want to mount an optic? The slide is cut to accept a wide range of popular micro red dots, and it sports a set of suppressor-height night sights. Speaking of suppressors, the barrel is threaded to accept them. Does your customer need a little extra firepower? The pistol comes with two flush-fitting 17-round mags and one extended 24 rounder. Want to remove a pain point? Offer optics mounting services to enhance the customer experience. The 509 Tactical has an MSRP of $1,049. www.fnamerica.com

Heizer PKO 45

Do you like products that represent out-of-the-box thinking? Look no further than the radical little PKO 45, a .45 ACP pistol from Heizer Defense. Dubbed the world’s slimmest .45 ACP pistol, the PKO 45 is only 0.80 inches wide. Yes, you read that right. Featuring a flush-fitting five-round magazine or an extended seven-rounder, the pistol is a straight-blowback with the barrel positioned under the guide rod assembly. In fact, we were so enamored with it we featured it on the cover of the 2018 American Handgunner Concealed Carry Special Edition. www.heizerdefense.com

Kimber KHX Custom

While polymer “wonderguns” might be all the rage today, it’s hard to beat a high-quality 1911 at a good price. Heck, we pretty much just summed up Kimber’s entire business model right there. New this year from the company is the KHX Custom, a .45 ACP or 9mm full-size 1911 with some striking features. The stainless steel pistol with matte-black KimPro II finish sports a cool Hogue Enhanced G10 MagGrip set of grips and mainspring housing that not only incorporates an extended mag well but also integrated laser system. Priced at an MSRP of $1,259, this is an ideal pistol for the 1911 fan looking for something a little different. www.kimberamerica.com

Mossberg 590M Shockwave

This one is technically not a handgun — or a shotgun for that matter — but rather a “firearm.” The non-NFA 590M Shockwave from Mossberg is sure to drive people to your counter. The 12-ga. sports a short 15-inch barrel as well as the company’s new detachable double-column magazine system available in 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-round capacities (a 10-rounder comes standard). And at an MSRP of only $721, you’ll have a hard time keeping them in stock! www.mossberg.com

Remington 1911 R1 Tomasie Custom

Do you have a healthy competitive shooting community around your shop? If so, it might be a good idea to stock some pistols catering to those shooters. How about one from a reputable manufacturer, developed in concert with a renowned national level shooter — all at a great price? If this piques your interest, check out the 1911 R1 Tomasie Custom from Remington, developed in collaboration with Travis Tomasie. Chambered in .40 S&W and featuring an 18+1 capacity, the pistol has an MSRP of just $1,650. www.remington.com

Ruger 10mm Super Redhawk

You have no doubt seen the popularity of the 10mm rise in recent years. But how often have you seen it chambered in a wheelgun? New from Ruger is a version of its rock solid and reliable Super RedHawk revolver packing in six rounds of this capable autopistol cartridge. Coming standard with three full moon clips for feeding it, the revolver sports a 6.5-inch barrel and weighs in at 54 oz. Combining the classic appeal of this popular Ruger revolver with the exciting ballistics of the 10mm round makes this worth a look at an MSRP of $1,159. www.ruger.com

SIG SAUER P365

I don’t often use the term “paradigm shifting,” but in the case of the P365 9mm from SIG SAUER I think it might be justified. Currently featured in the 2018 issue of the American Handgunner Concealed Carry Special Edition, the P365 packs in a double-column 10+1 capacity in a pocket pistol package scarcely wider than most single-column guns. Bottom line? The P365 seems to take the old rulebook, rip it up and throw it out. And with a price starting under $600, this one is an easy sell to your customers. Put it out on display and get it into your customers’ hands. Once you do, they will buy it. www.sigsauer.com

Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ

I was invited to the introduction of this new Smith earlier this year and, must admit, I didn’t “get it” at first. A .380 pistol with an overall length of 6.7 inches and weighing in at 18.5 oz.? Aren’t all new .380s supposed to be tiny? Well, then I shot it — and I got it. And we liked it so much it earned the cover spot of the Sept./Oct. 2018 issue of American Handgunner magazine. This 8+1 capacity pistol is a pleasure to fire, sports a slide astoundingly easy to rack and fits great in the hand. Its MSRP of $399 won’t hurt your customers’ bank accounts either. Back it up with Smith & Wesson’s lifetime warranty and brand recognition and you have a true winner. www.smith-wesson.com

Springfield Armory XD-S Mod.2

Springfield Armory has worked hard to own the concealed carry market in recent years, and its XD series of pistols have formed the backbone of the effort. Its latest broadside in the battle is the XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm. Slim and trim, the single-stack pistol packs in seven rounds in the flush-fitting magazine (an extended nine-rounder is also included) and weighs just 21.5 oz. A fiber optic front sight makes accurate shooting easy, and the $524 MSRP makes it even more attractive to buyers. www.springfield-armory.com